ITALIAN LANGUAGE CERTIFICATIONS

Advanced Italian language course

Advanced level B2

Language instruction is not separated from the culture and all linguistic topics will include topics with a cultural objective.

Course Description: The aim of the course is to make students acquire the ability to understand speeches of various length and follow even complex arguments.
The aim of the course is to achieve a degree of fluency and spontaneity to interact with native speakers.
We will work on extracts from TV shows, commercials and films in standard Italian. We will analyze literary texts by contemporary authors.
Students will acquire the ability to produce clear, detailed descriptions on a wide range of cultural topics and current events of interest to them.

Examples of some topics covered in the program:
• Typical Italian expressions
• The language of young people and “street” language through scenes of Italian films
• The Italian language and words with double meaning
• The use of the subjunctive through conversation
• The use of complex prepositions
• Italian gastronomy with a practical demonstration in the laboratory-kitchen on how to make homemade pasta from Puglia
• Wine and olive oil
• The folk music of Southern Italy (La Pizzica and Tammurriata) with dance and tambourine demonstration
• Popular traditions in Italy and social identity
• Interesting songs of Italian music
• The gestures of the Italians
• How Italy has changed through advertisements for Barilla pasta: a sociological analysis

Advanced level C1/C2

Who can attend the course: all those who have advanced expertise of Italian language and culture and wish to improve and refine their knowledge of the language.

The course is designed for:
- Advanced students of Italian
- Italian teachers abroad

Course Objectives: the course is delivered as a single module consisting of language ??and culture components. The student will become familiar with all the registers of the Italian language (formal, informal, familiar, slang) to cope with complex situations of communication both in writing and in oral settings.
The aim is to achieve fluency and accuracy in Italian language. The student at the end of this course will acquire a solid linguistic and metalinguistic competence (that is, awareness of the rules of grammar and style of Italian).
The course for advanced students provides language skills equivalent to those certified by Celi5 and Cils4.
Language instruction is not separated from the culture, as all topics included in the language program have a cultural objective. will be included.

Important prerequisites for the course
The course takes into account the needs, interests and characteristics of the participants, and therefore, it may be subject to changes and additions according to the students’ suggestions. The teachers are open and willing to consider any proposed ideas for inclusion or improvement.

LANGUAGE COMPONENT: The purpose of this module is to study the morphology, syntax and aspects of complex phrases, vocabulary, and style of the Italian language, in order to provide the students with the means to express themselves in an elevated register. The content is proposed with the view that the language is a living, flexible instrument and as such constantly evolving.

CONTENT:
• Stilistic and and morphosyntactic analysis of written and spoken Italian;
• Analysis of texts of literary and journalistic genres as well as other types of texts, (chosen by the teacher in agreement with the candidates);
• Tutorials on various writing techniques: essay, paraphrase, formal and informal correspondence.
• Deepening of the various jargons and specialized languages: the language of advertising, economics, politics, etc..
• Figurative, metaphorical and idiomatic expressions of the Italian language
• Slang in Italian films.
• Cadences and pronunciation of the various accents (and dialects) in different regions of Italy through Italian films and videos of Italian comedians
• Neologisms and words of foreign origin in contemporary Italian
• Linguistic minorities and dialects of Italy
• Consolidation of language skills and the expansion of communication skills through conversation including analysis of errors and strategies to improve oral performance.
• Study of the written language, strategies to improve writing, error analysis.

CULTURAL COMPONENT: "Culture, language, society and territory." This component aims to provide students with a cultural and updated overview of relevant aspects of the social and cultural reality of Italy.
Most of the topics concern Italian culture and society, art, cinema and literature. The program is open to any suggestions by the students on other cultural issues.
• Deepening of familiarity with economic and cultural aspects (differences between Southern and Northern Italy);
• Deepening of aspects of Italian history;
• Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature: stylistic analysis of the work of some of the most significant authors, including comparisons with Italian cinema.
• Italian regional cuisine as a means to understand the cultural differences of the mosaic Italy.
• Italian political system: analysis of documents;
• Discussion of aspects of "anthropology" and sociology of contemporary Italy through the figure of the "woman / mother" and complex sociological phenomenon behind others phenomena and events such as the Mafia, unemployment, and the Palio of Siena;
• The Mafia and the Mafia mentality;
• Italian folklore: the Carnival, the Palio di Siena, the Tarantismo and anthropological analysis of these three kinds of folklore;
• Understanding the Southern Italy through its music: anthropological exploration of the popular music of Southern Italy (Tammurriata from Campania and other forms of tarantella of Southern Italy such as the Pizzica).
• Comparative analysis of films of Italian cinema (the students may also propose films of their interest).
• Analysis of some topics related to the national and regional history of art: the Middle Ages and the mosaic of Otranto; Humanism and the monastery of Casole; art in the Renaissance; traces of Baroque in Lecce and the Baroque conception of life.
• Social Anthropology through Art: analysis of some significant monuments such as Castel del Monte (Apulia, UNESCO) and the Mosaic of Otranto.
• Analysis of other topics or issues as proposed by the students.

Starting dates: every 2 weeksDuration: 1 or more weeksLessons: 20 hours per weekDates
and Prices

Carla, David and family from Boston...the experience unforgettable for people of all ages. Attending the Scuola Porta d'Oriente is the opportunity of a lifetime and the school has my highest recommendation on all counts. If you travel the world, you will not find a more enchanting place or…read more >>

Tina and Lionel fron LondonLionel and I loved the school because:
- They have a nice, professional, dynamic team and they are very flexible, they can adapt their lessons to your needs.
- They are located in Otranto, it's a beautiful, very interesting and incredibly rich in history part of Italy…read more >>

Cynthia from CaliforniaDear Barbara: I am back in California and I enjoyed seeing the beautiful images on the CD you gave me. Thank you! The memories of those special places are etched onto my soul. Thanks again to you and Angelo for being so gracious and hospitable. I truly mean it when I say that we are friends…read more >>

Anna from SwedenI have had a wonderful summer, I got to know a lot of new people and got a lot of new friends.
I was staying two more weeks in Italy before I went home to Sweden, I went to St Benedetto del Tronto, Verona and Venezia, but I must say that I liked Otranto and Salento much much better. Thank you Barbara for everything. It has been the best summer in my life!read more >>